Shoulder barge was a yellow for unsporting behaviour, rather than for how dangerous the tackle was, they're not really comparable. Both men should have been booked, but as Maxi was going off anyway, it made little difference as far as that game is concerned.

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Should have been an easier call then.

If you disagree with the red card rule you couldn't argue that the tackle didn't deserve a yellow. Everyone saw that it was a two footed challenge, studs first with both feet off the ground.

Carroll going mental wanting a penalty for nothing and waving an imaginary card in front of Halsey's face didn't merit a yellow either for unsporting behavior.

Halsey got the foul calls right but was a bit off about when he decided to pick up the card. He also skipped a late challenge from Adams on Rafael when we got an advantage. This is all in the space of 10 minutes. Don't recall anything other worth mentioning from his game.

as I wrote in another thread - Mark Halsey hasn't dished out a single red card since he returned from his leukemia 2 years ago. Before that he was pretty much up there with the more stricter referees - I am not saying this has changed because of his leukemia, but it's certainly likely.

I don't mind this though - what I do mind is that Kompany is sent off for a tackle that is pretty much identical to Maxi's - who doesn't get a yellow

And then Liverpool is getting a penalty for a shot that bounces off the leg of Richards and onto his arm whereas the same thing doesn't apply when Agger has a poor touch and kicks it straight up into his arm.

Thought the ref was outstanding today except for 2 calls. The Maxi challenge should have been a yellow. And If that foul wasn't a card then Rafa's shoulder shouldn't have been either. Other than that I thought he let them play and let match flow nicely.

Shoulder barge was a yellow for unsporting behaviour, rather than for how dangerous the tackle was, they're not really comparable. Both men should have been booked, but as Maxi was going off anyway, it made little difference as far as that game is concerned.

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The letter of the law says a red card, this would IMO have been harsh but no card atall????.

If you disagree with the red card rule you couldn't argue that the tackle didn't deserve a yellow. Everyone saw that it was a two footed challenge, studs first with both feet off the ground.

Carroll going mental wanting a penalty for nothing and waving an imaginary card in front of Halsey's face didn't merit a yellow either for unsporting behavior.

Halsey got the foul calls right but was a bit off about when he decided to pick up the card. He also skipped a late challenge from Adams on Rafael when we got an advantage. This is all in the space of 10 minutes. Don't recall anything other worth mentioning from his game.

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I didn't think it was a particularly dangerous tackle, not a red card for me. Perhaps Carroll should have been booked for unsporting behaviour, but you can't really book someone for appeal for a decision, it just doesn't happen. The Rafael one was certainly a yellow card, he blocked him off to gain an advantage.

The letter of the law says a red card, this would IMO have been harsh but no card atall????.

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I really do wish people would stop talking about the letter of the law when it comes to two footed tackles when they haven't read the applicable law. There's nothing in the letter of the law that says that, the interpretation of the law is often that it's a red card, but it's certainly not in the Laws of the Game that a two footed tackle is always a dismissal. As for the yellow, yeah, it should have been a booking, but it had absolutely no impact on the game.

Referees are to be ordered to punish all two-footed challenges with red cards in a hardline move to clear up confusion over dangerous tackles.
An imminent instruction from referees’ chief Mike Riley will apply whether or not there is contact or injury to an opponent — and even if the ball is won first.
Referees are understood to be aware from recent get-togethers that a firm line is being taken and Riley is in the process of providing further clarification on how the existing law is to be applied.